Rest & Rise: A Healing Retreat for Queer Leaders
Restore. Heal. Rise. Lead.
On Sunday, August 23, from 3:00–9:00 PM, Pilgrims Mennonite Church invites queer leaders from across eastern and central Pennsylvania to gather for Rest & Rise, a healing retreat centered on restoration, care, and empowerment.
Hosted in Akron, PA at The Welcoming Place (21 South 12th Street), this trauma-informed retreat is designed to nurture and support queer leaders serving in nonprofit, community, and ecclesial spaces.
Queer leaders carry essential work—and often carry significant emotional, spiritual, and relational weight along with it. Rest & Rise creates space to pause, receive care, and reconnect with the practices that sustain long-term leadership and well-being.
Who Is This For?
This retreat is for queer people serving in leadership roles within:
- Nonprofit organizations
- Faith communities and churches
- Community-based organizations
- Advocacy and care-centered spaces
Whether your leadership is public or behind the scenes, your work matters—and so does your well-being.
What to Expect
This retreat is intentionally designed around healing, restoration, and sustainable care. Participants can expect a welcoming environment with opportunities for rest, reflection, and renewal.
Offerings may include:
- Guided nature walks
- Meditative yoga
- Therapist-led workshops on sustainable self-care
- Chair massage
- Sound baths
- Additional restorative and nourishing experiences
Every element of the retreat is designed to support participants in cultivating personal and professional sustainability for the important work ahead.
Our Hope
We believe queer leaders deserve spaces of deep care, healing, and restoration.
Our hope is that participants leave feeling:
- Rested
- Grounded
- Renewed
- Appreciated
- Better equipped to continue their vital work
Join us for an evening of care, connection, and renewal.
Registration details coming soon.
*The Welcoming Place is ADA compliant and all offerings are designed with accessibility in mind. If you have special needs, please contact PilgrimsPastor@gmail.com so we can find ways to best serve you.*
—
Pastor Angelique Chelton (She/Her)
Pilgrims Mennonite Church
21 S 12th St, Akron, PA 17501
(717) 368-3707
God has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8